Bad World Cup Referee

OK it's been long enough since I have posted something on here. I am a huge USA Soccer fan. When World Cup comes around, let's just say everything else is put on hold for a couple hours that day. I am so glad that we were able to pull off an AMAZING victory today in the extra minutes! What a game. In the mean time, I saw a picture of the referee from our last game and instantly this is what I saw.

Original:

My perception:

"Obama Tags" A message from Rex Rammell's web designer

Enough harassment already.

I can brush off behavior like Eugene Krasnoff's (but I did talk to a lawyer this morning about his recent behavior), but the harassment I'm tired of receiving is political backlash from something I wasn't even a part of. Last week a client I designed a web site for made a comment about purchasing or selling hunting tags for President Obama. (Read the whole story here) He then refused to apologize for making such a crude statement.

When the story went national his email box was FLOODED with hate mail in a matter of minutes. I've never seen anything like it. He also said that his voice mail was filled up rather quickly. I can understand why! You just don't say things like that about ANYONE, let alone the President of the United States.

The harassment towards me started when a few people decided they would find out who owned the domain name for his web site. I normally purchase all domains for my clients because it saves a lot of head ache with renewals and site setup.

I'm keeping names out of this story to protect the identities of those involved (Something I wish could be done for me). First I received this email from someone who is a domain lawyer and holds a Ph. D.:

Hey that Rex is a real funny guy.

That joke about "Obama tags" for killing the #!&%$ president was just a side-splitting funny thing to say.

I hope your kind stays the $@(# in Idaho.

At this point I was thinking, "Wow, I would think someone with a Ph. D. would be able to express their opinion without using cuss words, but this shouldn't go to far for me"

Then the next e-mail came:

"How come the Rex Rammell web site you made isn't selling the Obama tags? Shouldn't all you @%!@#& be in the same mudpit together?

I think it would be funny if we started selling 'Rammell' tags and tags for people like you that help him promote his message. Now that would be funny..."

A few of them were a little more threatening than this, but after receiving these e-mails, I do not know if I believe any longer that democrats are peace promoting people. (OK, so really I do, and I understand that there are "Radicals" - the likes of Rex Rammell - in both parties.)

Then the phone calls started coming in because you legally have to list your phone number with a purchased domain name. I pick up the phone and just get an ear full of cuss words. I immediately hung up.

The next call came in and went along the lines of this:

Caller: Since your name is listed as the domain owner, that makes you a racist pig.
Me: (I couldn't just hold my tongue.) Do you shop at Wal-mart.
Caller: Yes.
Me: I guess that makes you a communist then. Wal-mart buys products from China and since you support Wal-mart, you support communism. Just because someone purchased a web site from me, does not mean I support them or there political aspirations. I've done plenty of sites for politicians that I did not vote for."
Caller: (Dead silence.....)

Lastly, someone decided they would go through my entire web design portfolio and contact all of my clients asking if I would like for me to post something on their web sites about the "Obama" tags. So Saturday night I stayed up late sending out emails to all my clients explaining that I did not send the e-mails. I also explained the Eugene situation to them as well.

So after receiving all of this political backlash for something I did not do I'm left wondering, "Should I run for Governor of Idaho?" At least then the backlash I'll receive is for stuff I've done.
CLOSING NOTE: I DO NOT support Rex Rammell nor his views towards President Obama. I first met Rex when I did a web site for his elk business before he was ever labelled as having any of these, what I call, "Radical Issues". When he decided to run for office he had me develop him a campaign web site. I have personally contacted him and asked him to apologize for his statements.

Eugene Krasnoff. He's back!

If you've followed me for a few months, you'll remember Eugene - the guy that lied to me while trying to sell me a domain name. As a web conscious person, I figured others out there may be looking for feedback about Eugene Krasnoff so I posted about him and his business style.

Well I guess Eugene Krasnoff googled his own name and found my blog. He contacted me recently and here's what he had to say:

First of I don't appreciate personal attack on my reputation
throughout the internet community. http://blog.slowdayatwork.com/2009/03/domain-squatting.html
Now, was that really necessary to post personal e-mail correspondence on you
blog? I suggest to remove that post immediately. If you decide to keep it, then
do so. But expect some feedback.

All the Best, Eugene

Now what I want to know is, when does SPAM become personal e-mail? I wonder what kind of "feedback" I'll be getting. I guess if I come up missing, Eugene's contact info is listed on my blog. Maybe it's a good thing that I work with the cops on a weekly basis. He'd be the first person I'd look into.

Or maybe even better, Eugene is going to go and post negative information about me on the internet. I love how negative reviews on other websites can drive good traffic to a website. It's a trick that a lot of companies use to get more traffic to their website. Why else would celebrities do all the dumb things they do? It drives ratings!

"It's called planning"

Last Friday one of my co-workers was laid off. The reason given was, "Financial Reasons." Sure financial reasons were part of it, but I believe this issue goes A LOT deeper. He was the planning and zoning administrator for our city so obviously there were going to be disagreements between he and others.

Now that he is no longer working here, we do not have a planning and zoning administrator. Does it worry me that no more planning will happen around here? A little. The whole reason for my post though was to point out a somewhat funny letter to the editor in the local paper this morning. The guy basically pointed out it was a mistake to fire this guy and that the local finance leader, mayor and city council should have been setting aside money for a rainy day. Then he made this perfect comment, "It's called planning."

If you want to read the whole story and some funny comments to the story visit: http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/articles/2009/07/22/news/48.txt

What is this lump?

Friday night I went to a program with some old friends. While catching up with one guy he started telling me about his job. He owns a fitness center. I commented that he probably sees quite a few crazy people. He started laughing and said, "Yeah."

He told me about this old man who is about 80 years old that started lifting weights about 4 weeks ago. One day this old man came over to him and said, "I'm a little worried. After I started lifting, I got this lump in my right arm. My wife thinks I need to go to the doctor, but will you just feel it and tell me what you think." My friend said, "Sure. Let me feel it." So he feels this guys right arm and then asked if he could feel the guys other arm. He felt the two arms a couple of times and then started to chuckle a little bit.

He said to the guy, "I don't think you need to see the doctor. This lump in your arm is a bicep." The old guy hand been doing curls with both arms, but was only lifting with his right arm. Just goes to show that you are never too old to pump iron.

Who's is this?

Three days a week I get up early to play basketball with about 8-10 other guys in the church gymnasium. The other morning right after we started there was a fast break and someone scored. We went back down to the other end of the gym. As we were all standing there, one of the guys who plays, holds up something black and says, "Who's is this?"

We all looked down the court to see him holding a black thong. No one claimed it. I can just see it on Sunday when the bishop gets up to the pulpit and announces, "We found this in the gym this week so if it's your please claim it."

What's your name?

I just got off the phone with technical support. Most of the time the issues I raise with technical support can be answered rather quickly and don't require the "big dogs" help, but this time my technical issue was a little more than just a quick answer.

I was transferred from the first department to a more specialized department. When the second department answered the guy on the phone said, "Eh low, dis is Chad from ______. I will be hepping jew wit dis issue." (I'm trying to portray a very thick Indian accent here bare with me) I immediately thought to myself, "Obviously this is not your real name. Why do you all have such generic names? Early I spoke with Sean and then Bob." I didn't say anything though because I needed "Chad's" help.

Well Chad wasn't able to help me over the phone and needed me to send him an email attachment. So he sent me an email to reply to. Here's what it read:

Hi,

I am Gaurav from _____ Support Services and I will be working with you on this incident. As discussed, please send me the web application for reproducing and debugging this issue.

Regards,

Gaurav M.

Wait a minute Gaurav! Which cell phone company do you work for and what have you done with Chad?!?!?